this post was submitted on 19 Nov 2025
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At least here in vancouver, if you go to east hastings almost every single homeless person is either white or indigenous, despite the official data saying something different. I know why indigenous face these issues, but why so many white people? Is it because most of them originated in a rural area and moved here? The homeless demographic looks completely different than the demographic of the city itself.

Hop the border to seattle and it seems like homeless people are usually black or latino, which makes a lot more logical sense to me.

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[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 1 points 4 hours ago

the drug addicts tends towards caucasian more than POCs. they are alot of them in the west coast.

[–] jaselle@lemmy.ca 0 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago)

I think it's pretty rare for recent immigrants (first gen, and second gen to a lesser extent) to end up homeless in canada, since they usually are well off financially or have family that can support them. Impoverished people don't travel internationally. Most non-white non-indigenous people here have been here for only a few decades. Chinese and HK immigrants go back further, but it tracks as there are a number of chinese homeless too.

(Other ethnic groups also immigrated in past centuries but not to huge populations.)

Unlike the US, Vancouver doesn't have a large black population, and the latinx population is not huge either (I mean think about it, we have like 1 good mexican restaurant.)

I am not an expert, just hypothesising.

[–] TribblesBestFriend@startrek.website 20 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

I feel that there’s much confirmation bias in your statement.

I was in Vancouver and Victoria this summer and what I’ve seen is more Asian people in the streets that I’ve seen anywhere else

I’ll put my faith in data

[–] rabber@lemmy.ca 6 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

I live in Victoria and I rarely see homeless Asian people but they do exist. Seems like mostly white here too, but that makes sense because majority population is white anyway

[–] GreyEyedGhost@lemmy.ca 4 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 9 hours ago)

If the problem isn't race, statistics indicate they will likely match the trends for the region. Would it surprise you to learn there are a lot of homeless Indians in Delhi?

If the problem is race, you need to ask why. No studies I'm aware of have strongly linked success or mental health with race. If people don't want to rent to, sell to, buy from, or employ certain races, this has a chance of increasing the number of homeless people of that race, relative to their proportion of the community. It may also drive up the number of that race leaving that area, further inflating the relative proportion of homeless people of that race.

And finally, if the demographics of your community are an outlier of the demographic statistics you're reviewing, the more likely they are to not match the statistics.

[–] SoftestSapphic@lemmy.world 9 points 14 hours ago* (last edited 14 hours ago) (1 children)

Because the majority of Canadians white, asian, or aboriginal.

[–] rabber@lemmy.ca 4 points 14 hours ago (2 children)
[–] BCsven@lemmy.ca 1 points 5 hours ago

I've notice this also. Where we are in lower mainland the population is a lot Indian and a lot Asian and White, but the homeless people are all white.

My thought was culture. White folk are focuses on independence and asking for help or relying on others is weakness. So people fail hard.

Indian culture is often multi generational families, which provides a different family dynamic growing up.

Asian could be similar, or the over achie lvement expectation being pushes so you just wouldn't be accepted at home for drug use etc.

[–] FireRetardant@lemmy.world 1 points 7 hours ago

Homeless aren't tied to their province of origin. Many may have went to Vancouver for its milder climate or other reasons.

[–] cyborganism@piefed.ca 1 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

Ooof... 😬😬😬😬😬😬

To say "it makes sense" can be interpreted pretty negativevly.

I'm going to assume you didn't mean anything by that. But, maybe you should rewrite your post.

[–] rabber@lemmy.ca 9 points 15 hours ago (2 children)

It makes sense because those minorities are oppressed, what did you take from what I said?

[–] non_burglar@lemmy.world 1 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

I think what they mean is when you say "it makes sense", it sounds like you're signalling "that's how it ought to be".

Obviously you didn't mean to convey that meaning, but maybe don't get into politics.

[–] jaselle@lemmy.ca 2 points 3 hours ago

fortunately, OP is not a politician, doesn't have to worry about very contrived misreadings.

[–] cyborganism@piefed.ca 1 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

You never know. There's lots of assholes on here with certain prejudices. But thanks for clearing it up.

[–] Krudler@lemmy.world -4 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

Perhaps look in the mirror.

[–] cyborganism@piefed.ca 2 points 8 hours ago (1 children)
[–] Krudler@lemmy.world -1 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago) (2 children)

Why? You showed up scolding others while simultaneously revealing that it is you that misunderstands the plight of the Indigenous people of Canada. Most people with basic compassion and a remote awareness of our social issues wouldn't approach the way you did.

edit: So I'm saying again, look in the mirror, for it is you that needs to expand your awareness

[–] jaselle@lemmy.ca 1 points 3 hours ago

You're being a little overzealous here. cyber meant no ill will here, just acted a bit hypersensitively perhaps.

[–] cyborganism@piefed.ca 2 points 7 hours ago

Why are you being so mean to me? What did I ever do to you? I wanted some clarification from OP and they gave it to me, removing any doubt in my mind that they were racist.